Engine.



Nu. 649,30. Patented May 8, I900. G. H. HARDIE &. N. THOMPSON.

E N G l N E [Application filedsept. 8, 1899.)

2 She'ets-Shoet I.

(No Model.)

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WITNESSES 1 mums PEYERS co. FNOTO LITHO wnsmu No. 649,30l. 7 PatentedMay 8, I900. G. H. HARDIE &. N. THOMPSON.

E N GIN E (Application filed- Sept. 8, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Nodal.)

A 7TOHNE) Tu: cams Preas co PHOYOLITKON WASHINGTON. n, c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GORDON ll. IIARDIE AND NICHOLAS THOMPSON, OF VANCOUVER, CANADA.

ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 649,301, dated May 8,1900.

Application filed September 8, 1899. Serial No- 729,8G2. (N0 model.)

I To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GORDON HENRY HAR- DIE and NICHOLAS THOMPSON,citizens of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Vancouver, in theProvince of British Columbia, Canada, have invented a new and usefulEngine, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in single-actin g three-cylinderengines in which the cylinders are pivotally arranged on trunnionswithin a case trihedrally around the drive-shaft and ports connect fromthe main supply-chamber with the outer ends of these cylinders throughtheir trunnions, which ports are operated by a valve rotating on the endof the drive-shaft; and our objects are to provide an engine of theabove class that is cheap and simple of construction, and by reason of amovable valve'disk having elongated ports concentric with its centerinserted in the passages of the ports and at the point of such insertionthe ports being offset concentrioally the engine may be started ineither direction or reversed by the movement of said valve-disk, andalso to provide a simple means for exhausting the fluid without takingit back through the inlet-ports.

\Ve attain our objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is an end elevation of our engine with thecover containing the valves and ports removed. Fig. 2 is a section ofthe same through the center on the line a a in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an endView through the supplychamber, taken on the line b b in Fig. 2 from thedirection of the arrow. Fig. 4 shows the valve-disk removed, which isfor starting, stopping, or reversing the engine independent of any otherpower-controlling devices. Fig. 5 shows a detail of the valve-disk andits means for making it comparatively steamtight, and Fig. 6 is asectional detail of the drive-shaft on the line d d in Fig. 2.

Similar numerals and letters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

In the construction of our improved engine we provide castings 1 and 2,which are securely bolted together. The casting 1 is provided with acylindrical recess which forms a chamber 3, in which are cylinders 4,pivotally mounted on trunnions 5, which lie in suitable recesses on theopposite sides of the recess or chamber 3 and in proximity with thepcriphery thereof.

Passing through ahub in the sections 1 and 2 is a shaft 6, having acrank 6 arranged to turn within the chamber 3, and Working with in thecylinders 4, which are placed trihedrally around said shaft, are pistons7, 7 and 7 whose inner or converging ends are provided with concavedshoes 7 which rest around the crank 6. These shoes 7 are prevented fromdropping from contact with the crank 0 by a ring 8, embracing the same,(see Fig. 2,) and thisring 8 is held in place by a key S,passing'through the web of the crank, as shown.

Secured to the outer side of the casting 2, around the hub thereof, isan annular casting 9, which is provided with a cover 10, forming aclosed chamber or chest 11.

Arranged between the sections 9 and 2 is an annular recess whichencircles the hub of the said section 2, and a disk valve 12,havingelongated ports 12", occupies all of the space within this recessor chamber, and a hand-lever 12 is connected with said valve, whichpasses to the exterior through an opening in the upper side of thesection 9. The said ports 12 are each of a length one-sixth of thedistance of the circumference of the disk at the radius they occupy,which is equal to the movement of the valve when turned by the lever12*, the object of which will appear presently.

Communicating between the elongated ports 12 in the disk valve and withthe cylinders at through the trunnions pivoted in the casting 2 areports 13, which are opened and closed by the forward or back movement ofthe lever 12". I

Arranged trihedrally around the shell of the casting 9, which liesagainst the disk valve 12, are ports 14, 14, and 14 and, as better shownin Fig. 3, these ports are placed midway between the ports 13, just thedis tance from alinement with same that correspon ds with the length ofthe elongated ports 12 in the disk valve.

From the foregoing and as illustrated on Fig. 3 when the lever 12 isthrown-over on the line 01 e the engine will rotate in the direction ofthe arrow, and when said lever is push the crank over the dead-center.

pushed over on the line df it will travel in the direction of the arrowmarked h but when said lever is brought to a vertical position on theline cl g all the ports will be closed by the webs between the ports 12lyingthereover.

Secured by a pin 15 to the end of the shaft 6 within the chamber 11 is arotating valve 16. segment removed, as 16, so that there is only oneport fully exposed at once, and as the shaft rotates each port is givenits required exposure to allow the steam or pressure to engage one ofthe pistons, the relation of the crank 6 and the opening 16 being suchthat when the communication is made with one of the cylinders the pistonis pushed back with in the same, so that it is a continuous push on eachpiston as each port is reached. The pin 15 is passed through and rivetedor otherwise fastened in the hub of the valve 16 and lies in a flattenedportion 6 on the end of the shaft 6. This flattened portion is made sothat the valve is allowed to lag, and consequently gives steam to theexposed portto For instance, Figs. 1 and 3 are showing the shaft 6traveling in the direction of the arrow marked 71. The piston '7 will bepushing until the crank has passed beyond the deadcenter of the piston7, when the load will be taken up by such piston by reason of the portlet being closed and the port 14 opened. (See Fig. 3.) When each pistonis thrown out to its full stroke, (see Fig. 2,) its inner end comesbeyond the orifice of the cylinder l. This allows the steam to exhaustfreely into the chamber 3, whence it escapes by the pipe 17; but thepiston is held in proper alining contact with the cylinder by projectedlips 1: on each side of the mouth of the same.

The steam or other expansive fiuid is introduced to the chamber or chest11 by the pipe 18, (see Fig. 2,) and as the pressure is taken into theport 14: or 14", according to the position of the opening 16 in thevalve, it passes to one of the cylinders t by one of the ports 13, theparticular port being opened by the disk valve 12 and this beingconsequent upon the direction the engine is required to be driven.

To prevent leakages between the disk valve 12 where the lever passesbetween the sections 2 and 9, we provide an annular tongueshaped groove12 around the opposite sides thereof, which allows the water and oil togather and act as a packing, and this water and oil is passed from onegroove to the other by a small aperture 12, whence it may escape byasmall opening 2 to the chamber 3. To equalize the pressure on the endsof the oppositely-disposed trunnions 5, a small aperture 5* is madethrough each of the trunnions opposite to the ones carrying the ports13, and the orifices in which these trunnions having the small orifice5* lie are stopped by plugs 19 or otherwise some slight distance Thisvalve consists of a disk having a from the ends of such trunnions, whichform small chambers 20 between the plugs 19 and said trunnions. This isa very important feature, as otherwise it would be necessary to havesome packing devices around the trunnions 5, carrying the ports, as thepressure would tend to force the shoulders of said trunnions against thebosses in the casting 1 and cause a direct and serious leak to thechamber 3 around the trunnions having the ports 13, whereas by reason ofthe greater exposed surface of the trunnions on the opposite side owingto the difierence between the diameter of the aperture 5 and the ports13 the trunnions carrying said ports will be normallyheld against thebosses in the casting 2, which is the weak point to be guarded against.The lubricant is communicated with the inlet-pipe 18 and is blownthrough the different parts of the machine by the pressure. Forinstance, the pressure at the opposite ends of the trunnions will forcethe lubricant around the same to the chamber 3. The crank of the shaft,as G, will be lubricated by the oil or lubricant passing down smallapertures through the center of the pistons. This will deposit thelubricant between the shoes of the pistons 7 and the crank 6, and theend of the shaft 6, carrying a belt-pulley 21, is lubricated by a smallvent 22, communicating from the chamber 3 with the groove 23 in theshaft along the portion received in the hub of the section 1. To insurethe operation of this when the engine is running at a low speed withouta load, we place a check-valve 26 in the waste-pipe 17, which may beregulated so that a slight pressure will be generated within the chamber3, which will have the effect of blowing the required lubricant into thegroove 23. This artificial pressure, however, in the chamber 5 is notnecessary when the engine is turning at a high speed or working underpressure. The inclosed end of the shaft 6 is also provided with a smallgroove similar to the groove 23. This serves a double purpose. Itprevents the pressure from getting under the valve 16 and perhapsholding it from properly covering the ports by allowing such pressure toescape to the chamber 3, and such escape will carry the lubricantforward and lubricate that portion of the shaft.

Our engine may be worked vertical, horizontal, or at any angle desired,and in case it is run vertical the valve 16 is prevented from droppingfrom contact with the ports by a set-screw 24, passing over the cover 10and adjusted the proper distance from the hub of the same to allow itplay sufiicient to lag on shaft when reversed or turned, as beforementioned.

As shown by the illustration Fig. 1, the waste-pipe 17 is placed aboutthe center of the casting with respect to vertical position when theengine is run horizontally. This allows the water caused by thecondensed steam (when steam is the power used) to form in the lower partof the chamber, and as the oil floats on top of this the action of thecylinders, pistons, and crank 6 will keep continually splashing the oilover the parts, and consequently the internal parts are continuallylubricated. The water and oil may be drawn off when required through thedischarge-orifice 25, placed at the lowest point of the casting 2, asbest shown in Fig. 2, which opening when the machine is runningis closedin any suitable manner.

WVe are aware that multiple engines have been in use before ourinvention; but so far as we know none have been in use having ourparticular arrangement of the cylinders in conjunction with thereversing mechanism and rotating valve-gear. Therefore \Vhat we claim asnew, and desire to secure to ourselves by Letters Patent, is

1. In a three-cylinder engine having the cylinders pivotally arrangedtrihedrally around the crank-shaft within a casingformed by the sections1 and 2, in combination with ports leading off from said cylinders to acommon supply-chamber, a disk valve 12 having elongated ports thereininterposed between the supply-chamber and the cylinders, oifsets in theports at the point of contact with the disk valve, such offsetscorresponding with the length of the elongated ports in the said diskvalve, and a rotating valve 16 loosely fixed on the end of thecrank-shaft within the common supply-chamber, as specified.

2. In an engine having a closed chamber for receiving the waste andexhaust, in combination with a crank-shaft arranged to turn in saidchamber, and pistons arranged trihedrally around the crank of the shaftworkingin cylinders pivoted on oppositely-disposed trunnions journaledin bosses in opposite sides of the chamber 3, pressure communicationsthrough the trunnions on one side of the cylinder, and apertures throughthe oppositely-disposed trunnions to chambers 20, as and for thepurposes specified.

3. In combination with cylinders trihed rally placed and pivoted ontrunnions with pistons working therein and engaging a crankshaft withtheir converging ends, ports communicating with the cylinders throughthe trunnions and with a common supplychamber 11, offsets in said portsat a point near the chamber 11, a disk valve 12 interposed in the portsat a point where the offsets occur, elongated ports 12 in the disk valvewhereby the communication maybe changed from one port to another, and arotating valve 16 loosely fixed to the end of the crankshaft.

4;. In combination with cylinders trihedrally arranged from each otherand pivoted on trunnions with pistons working therein, and a crank-shaftarranged to turn between the said pistons, a common supply-chamber 11,ports communicating between the pistons, through the trunnions, and thesupply-chamber 11, oifsets or jogs in the ports near the supply-chamber,of a disk valve 12 having annular tongue-shaped grooves therearound, inthe path of the ports at the point where the offsets take place,elongated ports 12 in said disk valve, of a valve loosely fixed to theend of the crank shaft within the closed chamber, said valve consistingof a disk 16 with a segment 16 removed from one side to expose one portat once as the same is rotated by the said shaft.

5. In an engine of the class described, a disk valve 12 having theelongated ports therein for reversing the machine, and being pro videdwith a groove 12 on its opposite sides and an orifice 12 communicatingbetween the grooves, for the purposes specified.

6. In a multiple single-acting engine hav ing the cylinders arrangedwithin an exhaustchamber 3 .formed by castings 1 and 2, and pivotallymounted on trunnions 5 through which the pressure is introduced to thepistons and a crank-shaft passing through the center of said chamber; incombination with a chamber or chest 11, consisting of an annular casting9 with a cover 10, said castings 9 being securely fixed to the casting 2and embracing the hub thereof and the end of the crank-shaft, an annularchamber between the sections 2 and 9 and a disk valve ar ranged to fittherein and susceptible of being turned one-sixth of a revolution,elongated ports 12 in the disk valves, ports 13 communicating with oneend of the elongated ports 12 and the ports 14, 14, and letcommunicating between the opposite ends of the said elongated ports andthe chamber 11, and a valve 16 loosely fixed on the inclosed end of theshaft, such valve havingarecess therein so that as it rotates with theshaft but one port in the section 9 will be exposed at once.

GORDON II. IIARDIE. NICHOLAS THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

ROWLAND BRITTAIN, Eorrit G. MAoKnNRoT.

